Tokyo with Kids and Day Trips: Recommendations from a Local

Last Updated on October 4, 2024 by Kay

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When people think of Japan, Tokyo is usually the first city to come to mind, and this is no surprise. I lived in Tokyo for seven years before moving to Osaka and found that there is so much to see and do in the nation’s capital that I was never bored! And thankfully for us parents, there are also a lot of things to do in the city to keep kids entertained and make amazing memories.

There’s also so much more to explore when you venture outside of Tokyo and into the Kanto region. In this article, I’ll be sharing my personal list of the best things to do with kids in Tokyo as well as in other areas in the Kanto region (Kanagawa, Chiba, Ibaraki, Saitama, Gunma, and Tochigi).

This list contains many places I visited with my daughter as well as places I went before she was born and would recommend to parents, as well as highly rated places that I want to visit.

Note that this article doesn’t cover everything there is to do in Tokyo and the rest of Kanto with kids. I’ll make sure it will be updated when I learn something new. If I do update this article with a new location, I’ll make sure to share it on my Instagram.

This article has been a long time coming, and I’m very excited to be able to share this information. I hope you have the chance to give some of these places a visit, too!

I’ve also made a map at the end of the article with all of the locations so please use it to help figure out what’s closest to you!

(Psst, wondering what to do with kids in Kyoto and Osaka? I have articles on those as well so make sure to give it a read! Check out my recommendations for family-friendly hotels in Tokyo, too!)

Table of Contents

Best Things to Do in Tokyo with Kids
Tokyo Day Trips with Kids
Wrap-Up: Best Things to Do in Tokyo and the Surrounding Area with Kids

Best Things to Do in Tokyo with Kids

teamLab Borderless Tokyo (Roppongi)

I visited teamLab Borderless when it was still at Odaiba before my daughter was born and I’m hoping to take her to the one in Osaka in the future because it was definitely a memorable experience.

I think kids, and even babies, will be enthralled by the various dazzling areas, which make you feel like you’ve traveled to another world.

Note that it can get quite crowded and it’s best to reserve your tickets in advance. Also, I wouldn’t recommend it if your child is scared of the dark.

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Miraikan [The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation] (Odaiba)

Miraikan is a massive science museum in Tokyo where kids of all ages can learn about various areas of science such as the earth and universe, as well as information and technology. The giant model of the Earth hanging from the top of the museum alone is worth going to see.

I remember being very impressed when I visited Miraikan for the first time. I haven’t had the chance to take my daughter yet (pandemic and all when we were living in Tokyo) but it’s on my list of places to go when I visit the capital again. My daughter loves science museums so I think she’ll have a blast!

They also have special exhibitions and events.

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Sunshine City (Ikebukuro)

It’s likely that if you’re living in Tokyo or even visiting, you will (or should) visit Ikebukuro. As it’s along the JR Yamanote line, it’s quite easy to get to and Sunshine City, a huge shopping complex in the area, has a ton of things to do.

my daughter as a baby and my husband looking at jellyfish sunshine aquarium in tokyo — I think this was when my daughter fell in love with jellyfish.

Some places you might want to check out while here with your kids include:

- Sunshine Aquarium (exceeded my expectations when it comes to aquariums in the city)
- Tenbou-Park (gives you a beautiful sky-high view of the city and has a cute play area for babies!)
- NAMJATOWN (a little theme park with attractions and food. I recommend visiting Gyoza Stadium!)
- Pokemon Center MEGA TOKYO & Pikachu Sweets

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Tokyo Sea Life Park (Kasai Rinkai Park)

Tokyo Sea Life Park was the first aquarium I took my daughter to when she was a baby, and we all had a great time.

The area is beautiful and I love how the aquarium is nestled in a nature park (tip: go during spring to see tons of cherry blossom trees).

my daughter as a baby and I looking at fish at tokyo sealife aquarium — My daughter’s first visit to the aquarium at 6 months old was magical thanks to Tokyo Sealife Aquarium.

If you want to know more, I wrote an article all about it.

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Tokyo Asobi Mare (Hachioji)

If your child wants to play with snow all year round, Tokyo Asobi Mare is a great place to take them. There are also other indoor play areas with ball pits, mini bullet trains, and cars for kids to ride on, toddler-friendly bouldering, inflatable slides, and more!

Asobi Mare is also located in other areas of Japan such as Kanagawa, so try to look in your area to see if there’s one nearby!

I took my daughter to the Osaka location and she had so much fun that she didn’t want to leave. Her favorite spot was the dress-up area where she could wear different Pretty Cure (プリキュア) outfits and go on a mini-stage where parents can use Bluetooth to play music from their phones. Most parents didn’t know this so when my husband started playing プリキュア songs, he started a serious dance party!

The crane games are also 100 yen per try and much easier than in typical arcades. My husband isn’t the best at them but he won our daughter a huge Pokemon stuffed animal for only 100 yen!

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

The National Museum of Nature and Science (Ueno)

This museum is located in Ueno and is a great place to take curious little minds. The museum covers all things about our earth, such as living things, dinosaur skeletons, rocks, as well as technology (I like the area about technological advancements during the Edo period on onwards).

There’s an indoor playground for little ones and they also have special exhibitions featuring creatures such as dinosaurs.

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Tokyo Toy Museum (Shinjuku)

If your kid loves toys (and what kid doesn’t?), they will likely love exploring the Tokyo Toy Museum.

They have different areas according to age (0-2 years old, 3-6 years old, and elementary school) so kids can play with toys from around the world that are perfect for their developmental stage. They also have crafts, which I know my daughter would enjoy doing.

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Kidzania Tokyo (Toyosu)

Kidzania, a Mexican company with locations worldwide, is a great place to bring kids who love to play pretend and want to try out different jobs. The best part is that they can actually do things like bottle ponzu or put together a computer!

Every Wednesday also has English staff, so if you can’t speak Japanese or you want your child to speak more English (which is my struggle right now), I would recommend visiting then.

Note that it can get very crowded as school trips tend to come here. I also recommend buying tickets in advance and looking carefully at the website and planning what your child will do as it can be overwhelming!

I’ve written an article about Kidzania and although it reviews the location in Kobe, it’s still quite relevant to Tokyo’s location so make sure to check it out!

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Sumida Aquarium (Sumida)

sumida aquarium with kids in tokyo japan — My daughter has never had a bad day at the aquarium.

This is a beautiful aquarium in Tokyo Skytree Town, although a little small. But if you’re in the area, it’s worth visiting. I especially loved how some of the areas have a Japanese theme to them, so it’s like walking through a summer festival.

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Unko Museum (Odaiba)

Unko means poop in Japanese, so as you can imagine, the Unko Museum is all about poop. Colorful poop!

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If your kid is like mine and enjoys toilet jokes, then they will likely have fun at this museum. When you enter, you have to sit on a colorful toilet and shout “Unko!”. Kids can also play in a ball pit filled with colorful poop. (Don’t worry, everything is fake, of course!)

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Ghibli Museum (Mitaka)

Even if your child hasn’t been introduced to Ghibli movies yet (and if they haven’t, I recommend starting with My Neighbor Totoro), I think they’ll enjoy the atmosphere of the Ghibli Museum.

Kids can watch a short movie, play in a giant Cat Bus, and take in the lovely surroundings that make them feel like they’re in one of Miyazaki’s creations.

Ghibli Museum with kids in tokyo japan — My daughter was mesmerized by the Ghibli Museum when she first visited at age 2.

As it’s located in Inokashira Park, I recommend going on a sunny day so you and your family can enjoy the park grounds as well.

Pure Heart Kids Land (Adachi)

This indoor playground is perfect for rainy days. It has a massive ball pit, inflatable slides, toy cars to ride, a sand park, an area to play house, as well as a play area for infants. It also looks like they have a place where kids can dress up and take photos.

There are several branches throughout Japan, including Chiba and Saitama.

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Galaxity (Adachi)

Galaxity is a children’s museum where kids can learn while playing. There’s a climbing wall, a giant net for kids to crawl all over, as well as special workshops. They also have the largest planetarium in Tokyo’s 23 wards!

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☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Sanrio Puroland (Tama)

My daughter visited Sanrio Puroland twice when she was two and she had a blast each time. It’s filled with Sanrio characters, games, and rides, and everything is pastel and picture-worthy.

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If you’re interested, I’ve written an article all about the experience.

☔️ Recommended rainy day activity with kids in Tokyo

Yomiuri Land (Inagi)

Yomiuri Land is an amusement park located in the far west part of Tokyo, 35 minutes from Shinjuku. It’s filled with rides for all ages as well as an outdoor waterpark. But I think the best part is its stunning illuminations from around the end of October to early April, which covers the entire park.

Machida Squirrel Garden (Machida)

Okay, so Machida is quite far from central Tokyo, but if you’re in the area for some reason, then you might want to check out Machida Squirrel Garden, which is a park filled with squirrels, as well as other small animals. They even have cute little squirrel houses!

Tokyo Day Trips with Kids

If you’re looking for places to visit with kids outside of Tokyo on a day trip (or even overnight if you want), I’ve got you covered!

Wrap-Up: Best Things to Do in Tokyo and the Surrounding Area with Kids

I hope this article has helped make your planning easier when it comes to what to do with kids in Tokyo and beyond!

All of the locations for things to do with kids in Tokyo and surrounding areas are marked on the map above, so feel free to use it as a reference when planning your trip!

And remember, I also have articles on things to do with kids in Kyoto and Osaka!